Brief Description and the work performed by Resensys
Case definition: Scour is the leading bridge failure reason for concrete bridges and 58% of bridge failures in the US are due to hydraulic conditions (Source: FHWA). Five bridges of McHenry County in Illinois have been monitored by Resensys monitoring system.
Problems:
- Erosion of soil surrounding the bridge foundation (piers and abutments)
- Fast-moving water around the bridge removes sediment from around the bridge foundation, leaving behind scour holes
- Changes in pier orientation
How to address the problem: Resensys wireless monitoring systems have been deployed in a bunch of bridges in McHenry County, Illinois and based on the monitoring needs of each bridge.
- Wireless sonar water depth meter: strategically placed at specified piers for collecting underwater data (depth, temperature, etc.)
- Wireless level sensor: detects flood
- Wireless camera: provide visual feedback
- Wireless tilt meters: monitoring stability of piers, abutments, detects settling
Results:
- Detecting over inclination of piers (with the resolution 0.00016 degrees) as an early result and indication of hydraulic damage to prevent road/bridge closure and/or expensive repairs.
- Monitoring water level constantly to notify authority about possibility of flood.
- Reliable quantitative measurement of scour around underwater portions of bridges.
- Detecting erosion around piers at early stages enables authorities to repair the bridge sooner.
- Providing complete condition awareness of bridges, and particularly help to allow quick assessment of conditions after severe floods.
| OWNER | McHenry County, Illinois |
| SERVICE PROVIDED | Scour Critical Bridge Monitoring of five bridges |
| DURATION | 2023-Present |
| SALIENT FEATURES | Remote Monitoring System Monitoring of piers, and visual monitoring for scour condition Monitoring temperature, depth, and level of water |
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